Attachment for earth moving blade

ABSTRACT

A dozer blade attachment comprising a bucket element having a closed floor panel ( 31 ) defining two opposed sides, a rear edge ( 35 ) and a front edge ( 33 ), where the rear and front edge are spaced from each other and extend between the sides, the bucket element further comprising two side panels ( 37 ), the side panels being located at the opposed sides of the floor panel and extending upwardly from the floor panel, the side panels extending at least partially between the front and rear edge, fixing means ( 41 ) provided in association with each side panel proximate the rear edge, the fixing means being adapted to enable the attachment to be mounted to a dozer blade to enable the attachment to be movable on the dozer blade about an axis substantially parallel to the main axis of the dozer blade between a lowered position at which the rear edge is closely adjacent the lower portion of the dozer blade and the floor panel extends forwardly there from to define a bucket having a substantially closed lower portion and a raised position at which the floor panel extends upwardly and the rear edge is spaced forwardly and upwardly from the dozer blade.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to an attachment for use with the blades of earthmoving equipment such excavators, graders, dozers and like earthmoving equipment.

BACKGROUND

[0002] A particular application of the invention relates to an attachment for use with dozer blades, which are provided on excavators where the dozer blade provides an additional function in association with the excavator to enable the operator to clear the ground prior to excavation or alternatively level the ground subsequent to an excavation activity. The difficulty which has been encountered with such dozer blades relates to the circumstance that due to the essentially linear configuration of the dozer blade and in some instances the reduced height of the dozer blade the amount of soil that can be moved by the dozer blade is reduced. Furthermore in the event of spillage of soil past the sides and over the top of the dozer blades the presence of such soil can result in a loss of traction by the tracks of the excavator which in some cases can cause the excavator to be placed in a hazardous situation. The above description relates to one particular application of the invention and is not intended for the purposed of restricting the scope of the invention.

[0003] Throughout this specification the term “dozer blade” shall be taken to include such blades as fitted to any vehicle for the purposes of earth moving and which comprise a linear blade which is supported from the vehicle to extend transversely on the vehicle with the blade being directed substantially upwardly. The blade may be curved about a transverse axis of the vehicle.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Accordingly the invention resides in a dozer blade attachment comprising a bucket element having a closed floor panel defining two opposed sides, a rear edge and a front edge, where the rear and front edge are spaced from each other and extend between the sides, the bucket element further comprising two side panels, the side panels being located at the opposed sides of the floor panel and extending upwardly from the floor panel, the side panels extending at least partially between the front and rear edge, fixing means associated with each side panel proximate the rear edge, the fixing means being adapted to enable the attachment to be mounted to a dozer blade to enable the attachment to be movable on the dozer blade about an axis substantially parallel to the main axis of the dozer blade between a lowered position at which the rear edge is closely adjacent the lower portion of the dozer blade and the floor panel extends forwardly there from to define a bucket having a substantially closed lower portion and a raised position at which the floor panel extends upwardly and the rear edge is spaced forwardly and upwardly from the dozer blade.

[0005] According to a preferred feature of the invention the side panels are convergent in height in the direction extending from the rear edge to the forward edge.

[0006] According to a preferred feature of the invention the side panels extend beyond the rear edge to provide extensions and have a spacing such that the extensions can be located to each side of the dozer blade. According to a preferred feature of the invention the bucket comprises an upper extension panel which extends between the upper portion of each side panel wherein said rear panel provides an upper extension of the dozer blade when the bucket is in the lowered position.

[0007] According to a preferred feature of the invention the forward end of the side panels terminate at the forward edge.

[0008] According to a preferred feature of the invention the mounting of the attachment to the dozer blade comprises a pivotable mounting. According to a preferred feature of the invention the pivotable mounting comprises a pivot pin receivable through aligned apertures provided between each side panel and the adjacent end of the dozer blade. According to a preferred feature of the invention the aligned aperture of the attachment or the dozer blade is slotted to enable the attachment to be variable in its disposition on the dozer blade. According to a preferred feature of the invention the pivotable mounting includes locking means for retaining the attachment at the lowered and/or the raised position. According to a preferred feature of the invention the locking means is adapted to be able to retain the attachment at one or more positions between the raised and lowered position. According to a preferred feature of the invention the aligned aperture in the dozer blade comprises one of a set of apertures which can be selected to vary the disposition of the attachment when in the lowered position. According to an alternative preferred feature of the invention the aligned aperture in the attachment comprises one of a set of apertures which can be selected to vary the disposition of the attachment when in the lowered position. According to one embodiment at least one of the apertures of the set of apertures is slotted to enable the attachment to be variable in its disposition on the dozer blade when the at least one aperture is the aligned aperture.

[0009] The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of several specific embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the bucket element according to the first embodiment;

[0012]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an excavator having a bucket element according to the first embodiment mounted to the dozer blade of an excavator;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the excavator of FIG. 2 showing the dozer blade in a raised position having a bucket element according to the first embodiment attached thereto and with the bucket element in the lowered position;

[0014]FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the excavator of FIGS. 2 and 3 showing the dozer blade in a lowered position having a bucket element according to the first embodiment attached thereto and with the bucket element in the raised position;

[0015]FIG. 5 is an isometric view of an excavator having the bucket element according to the second embodiment mounted to the dozer blade with the bucket element in the lowered position;

[0016]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an excavator having a bucket element according to the third embodiment mounted to the dozer blade with the bucket element in the lowered position;

[0017]FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an excavator having a bucket element according to a form of the fourth embodiment mounted to the dozer blade with the bucket element in the lowered position; and

[0018]FIG. 8 is an isometric view of an excavator having a bucket element according to a form of the fifth embodiment mounted to the dozer blade with the bucket element in the lowered position;

[0019]FIG. 9 is an upper isometric view of the bucket element according to the sixth embodiment;

[0020]FIG. 10 is a lower isometric view of the bucket element according to the sixth embodiment; and

[0021]FIGS. 11a, 11 b, 11 c and 9 d are schematic side elevations of a sixth embodiment of the invention each illustrating four possible positions of the bucket element with respect to the blade.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The first embodiment as shown at FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 comprises a bucket element 11 which is intended to be mounted to the dozer blade 13 of an excavating machine 15. The excavating machine 15 comprises an articulated boom 17 which supports a bucket 19 and which can be used for the purposes of excavation. The boom 17 is supported from the main body of the excavator to be pivotable about a substantially upright axis whereby the arm can be located at any position around the machine to effect excavation of the soil surrounding the excavator 15. The main body of the excavator is supported from a tracked chassis 21. The dozer blade 13 is supported from the tracked chassis 21 by an arm 23 and is capable of being raised vertically through activation of a hydraulic cylinder 25 which is mounted between the tracked chassis 21 and the arm 23.

[0023] A difficulty which has been encountered with excavating machines of the form illustrated at FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 relates to the limited dimensions of the dozer blade 13 which can result in spillage of soil over the upper edge of the dozer blade and around the sides of the dozer blade which can adversely influence the traction between the tracked chassis 21 and the ground.

[0024] Furthermore the use of the excavator is somewhat limited in that if a heavy weight is supported from the articulated arm 17 there is insufficient weight in the machine to counter that weight. This problem is enhanced when the excavator is on uneven ground and/or on a slope. Therefore the excavator cannot be used in the haulage of heavy items and in the location of such items in trenches and holes which have been dug by the excavator.

[0025] The embodiment comprises a bucket element 11 comprising a closed floor panel 31 which has two side edges, a front edge 33 and a rear edge 35. The floor panel 31 supports a pair of side panels 37 from each side edge where the side panels extend upwardly from the floor panel and are of a converging height from the rear end towards the forward end. The rear end 39 of each side panel 37 is of an arcuate configuration which is complementary to the profile of the dozer blade whereby when the rear edge 35 of the floor panel 31 is closely adjacent the lower portion of the dozer blade 13, the rear edge 39 of the side panels 37 are in closely adjacent if not in abutting relationship with the front face of the dozer blade.

[0026] The upper portion of the rear edge 39 of each side panel 37 supports a fixing member 41 which comprises a bracket having an aperture formed therein and the rear off the dozer blade is provided at each end with a bracket (not shown) which also has an aperture. In mounting the attachment to the dozer blade the apertures on the fixing members 41 are aligned with the corresponding apertures on the dozer blade and both pairs of aligned apertures are engaged by a pivot pin 43 provided at each side of the dozer blade 13. The pivotable support which is provided for the bucket element 11 by pivot pins 43 enables the bucket to be pivotable about a longitudinal axis of the dozer blade 13 between a lowered position as shown at FIGS. 2 and 4 at which the rear edge abuts with the lower portion of the dozer blade 13 and the floor panel 31 extends forwardly from the dozer blade 13, and a raised position as shown at FIG. 4 at which the floor panel 31 extends upwardly from the dozer blade 13 and the rear edge 35 is located forward of the dozer blade 13 and is positioned higher than the lower edge of the dozer blade. The movement of the bucket element from the lowered position as shown at FIGS. 2 and 3 to the raised position as shown at FIG. 4 is effected by utilisation of an externally applied lifting force which in the case of the embodiment (as shown at FIG. 4) can be applied through application of the bucket 19 against the underneath of the floor panel 31.

[0027] The first embodiment provides an attachment for the dozer blade of an excavator which provides a forward extension of the dozer blade to form a bucket in association with the dozer blade.

[0028] It has been found as a result of tests that utilisation of the dozer blade with the attachment 11 mounted thereto for levelling soil greatly enhances the action of the dozer blade in that more soil can be moved through the action of the dozer blade having the attachment fixed thereto without spillage past the dozer blade which will subsequently affect the traction achieved between the tracked chassis 21 and the ground. In addition the dozer blade with the attachment fixed thereto can be used in the movement of soil when attempting to level ground prior to or subsequent to an excavation process. Furthermore once the bucket, which is formed by the dozer blade 13 and the bucket element, has been filled with soil the soil can then be transported to a desired dumping position if it is necessary to move the soil from site where the dumping of soil from the bucket can be effected by pivoting the attachment upwardly using the excavator bucket 19 as shown at FIG. 4. Alternatively by controlled raising of the attachment through use of the bucket 19 the soil can be controllably distributed over a wide area.

[0029] Furthermore the bucket provided by the dozer blade 13 in association with the attachment 11 enables quantity of soil or other material to be loaded onto the bucket to provide a counter weight to the bucket 19 provided on the articulated arm 17 when positioned on the tracked chassis in opposed relation to the dozer blade. As a result the bucket 19 and/or the arm 17 can be utilised in the lifting of a weight without resulting in tipping of the excavator. In addition the bucket element can be used in the transportation of a load.

[0030] The resultant effect is that the presence of the attachment significantly increases the utility of the excavator beyond the normal capacity of an excavator not having the attachment. As a result the excavator can be used, at least to a limited extent, in performing a range of tasks which would otherwise be unavailable and as a result can reduce the need for the presence of another machine at an excavation site to enable a task to be completed

[0031] A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated at FIG. 5 and comprises a bucket attachment 111 of a similar form to that of the first embodiment. In relation to FIG. 5 identical numerals have been used in relation to corresponding components shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The bucket element of the second embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that the side panels 137 are provided with rearward extensions 145 which extend beyond the pivot pins 41 on the dozer blade 13 to extend rearwardly of the dozer blade 13. The spacing between the side panels 137 is such that the extensions can be located closely adjacent each end of the dozer blade 13. In addition the upper portion of each of the side panels 137 in the region of the pivot 41 extends above the upper edge of the dozer blade such that the upper edge of the side panel 137 is convergent from that raised position in the direction of the forward edge 133. The side panels further support a rear panel 147 which extends between the raised portions of the side panels 137 and which is positioned such that when the bucket element is in its lowered position as shown at FIG. 5 the rear panel 147 provides an upper extension to the dozer blade 13. The second embodiment is appropriate for excavators which have a zero swing capacity only (i.e. the machine is only able to turn on the tracked chassis within the confines of the tracks) and it is not possible for the boom to located over the dozer blade. The second embodiment enables the bucket, which results from the combination of the dozer blade and the attachment 111, to have a greater load capacity.

[0032] The third embodiment as shown at FIG. 6 is a variation of the second embodiment with the exception that it does not include the upper extensions of the side panels 237 and is provided only with rearward extensions 245.

[0033] The fourth and fifth embodiment as shown at FIGS. 7 and 8 respectively comprises a variation of the second and third embodiment respectively. In the case of the fourth and fifth embodiments the rearward extensions 345 of the side panels are provided with a series of apertures 349 which can be aligned with an aperture at each end of the dozer blade and which can receive locking pins which will engage with the aligned apertures to retain the bucket element in the lowered position or any one of a number of raised positions.

[0034] The sixth embodiment as shown at FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 a, 11 b and 11 c is a variation of the second, third and fifth embodiments. The bucket element of the sixth embodiment is able to be supported from the dozer blade from a number of positions as a result of each side panel being provided with a set of three apertures 451,453 and 455 which are able to be aligned with an aperture at the respective end of the dozer blade by a pair of locking pins 457. The apertures comprise a pair of spaced upper apertures 451 and 453 located towards the upper rear edge of the side panel of the blade and a lower arcuate slot shaped aperture 455. The apertures are equally spaced from each other.

[0035] In addition the dozer blade is provided with a pair of spaced apertures where the spacing of the apertures on the dozer blade corresponds with the spacing between the apertures on the bucket element. As a result any pair of the three apertures of the bucket element are able to be aligned with the apertures on the dozer blade and a pair of locking pins 457 are receivable in the aligned apertures at each side of the bucket to retain the bucket element in a desired position. An example of such a position is shown at FIG. 11d where the spaced upper apertures 451 and 453 of the bucket element are aligned with the apertures on the dozer blade and a pair of locking pins are engaged with the aligned apertures at each side to hold the bucket element in a raised position.

[0036]FIGS. 11a, 11 b and 11 c illustrate three attitudes of the bucket element with respect to the dozer blade which are available through the use of one of the apertures 451, 453 or 455 to receive a pivot pin 457 to pivotally support the bucket element from the dozer blade. In each instance when the bucket element is at its lowermost position the rear edge of the bucket element will bear upon the front face of the dozer blade. In addition in each instance the bucket element can be raised to its raised position manually or alternatively the bucket of the excavator can be used to raise the bucket element.

[0037] When the forward-most aperture 451 of the bucket element is engaged by the pivot pin 457 (as shown at FIG. 11a) the bucket element when at its lowermost position is substantially horizontal when the excavator is horizontal and in this mode it can be used in levelling.

[0038] When the rear-most aperture 453 of the bucket element is engaged by the pivot pin 457 (as shown at FIG. 11b) the bucket element when at its lowermost position is forwardly and downwardly inclined when the excavator is horizontal and in this mode it can be used in excavating.

[0039] When the lower-most slotted aperture 455 of the bucket element is engaged by the pivot pin 457 (as shown at FIG. 11c) the bucket element when at its lowermost position is able to pivot to a limited extent about the engagement of the rear-most edge of the bucket element with the dozer blade such that it is capable of a limited degree of movement to enable it to be used to excavate on forward movement of the excavator and to level on rearward movement of the excavator.

[0040] As a result of the set of three apertures on each side of the bucket element the position of the bucket relative to the dozer blade can be varied according to the desired mode of operation.

[0041] In addition and as shown at FIGS. 9 and 10 the underneath of the floor panel is provided with reinforcing strips 461 and 463 in the region adjacent the forward and rearward edges while the portion between reinforcing strips is provided with a substantially triangular panel 465 where the sides of the panel converge from the front edge to the rear edge. The triangular panel is present to prevent the teeth of the excavator bucket becoming jammed as a result of engagement with the reinforcing strips when the excavating bucket is being used to pivot the bucket element on the dozer blade.

[0042] Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

[0043] It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the embodiments described above. In particular the invention need not be limited to the use with excavators of the form as described in relation to each of the embodiments since the invention can have application to graders, dozers, backhoes, earthmoving attachments to farm tractor vehicles and like earthmoving equipment which employs a dozer blade as a primary or ancillary earthmoving element. 

The claims defining the invention are as follows:
 1. A dozer blade attachment comprising a bucket element having a closed floor panel defining two opposed sides, a rear edge and a front edge, where the rear and front edge are spaced from each other and extend between the sides, the bucket element further comprising two side panels, the side panels being located at the opposed sides of the floor panel and extending upwardly from the floor panel, the side panels extending at least partially between the front and rear edge, fixing means being associated with each side panel proximate the rear edge, the fixing means being adapted to enable the attachment to be mounted to a dozer blade to enable the attachment to be movable on the dozer blade about an axis substantially parallel to the main axis of the dozer blade between a lowered position at which the rear edge is closely adjacent the lower portion of the dozer blade and the floor panel extends forwardly there from to define a bucket having a substantially closed lower portion and a raised position at which the floor panel extends upwardly and the rear edge is spaced forwardly and upwardly from the dozer blade.
 2. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at claim 1 wherein the side panels are convergent in height in the direction extending from the rear edge to the forward edge.
 3. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at claim 1 or 2 wherein the side panels extend beyond the rear edge to provide extensions and have a spacing such that the extensions can be located to each side of the dozer blade.
 4. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at claim 1 or 2 or 3 wherein the bucket comprises an upper extension panel which extends between the upper portion of each side panel wherein said rear panel provides an upper extension of the dozer blade when the bucket is in the lowered position.
 5. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the forward end of the side panels terminate at the forward edge.
 6. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the fixing means comprises a pivotable mounting.
 7. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at any one of the preceding claims wherein the pivotable mounting comprises a pivot pin receivable through aligned apertures provided between each side panel and the adjacent end of the dozer blade.
 8. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at claim 7 wherein the aligned aperture of the attachment or the dozer blade is slotted to enable the attachment to be variable in its disposition on the dozer blade.
 9. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at claim 7 or 8 wherein the pivotable mounting includes locking means for retaining the attachment at the lowered and/or the raised position.
 10. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at claim 9 wherein the locking means is adapted to be able to retain the attachment at one or more positions between the raised and lowered position.
 11. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the aligned aperture in the dozer blade comprises one of a set of apertures which can be selected to vary the disposition of the attachment when in the lowered position.
 12. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at any one of claims 7 to 10 wherein the aligned aperture in the attachment comprises one of a set of apertures which can be selected to vary the disposition of the attachment when in the lowered position.
 13. A dozer blade attachment as claimed at any one of claims 11 or 12 wherein at least one of the apertures of the set of apertures is slotted to enable the attachment to be variable in its disposition on the dozer blade when the at least one aperture is the aligned aperture.
 14. A dozer blade attachment substantially as herein described. 